A live experience exploring the science of musical taste, blending performance, storytelling and neuroscience insights, with audience interaction via a companion app.
Dr. Nolan Gasser brings Why You Like It: Decoding Musical Taste to Miller Outdoor Theatre on Friday, November 6, at 7:30 PM. Gasser is a composer and musicologist, and the architect behind Pandora's Music Genome Project, and he's built this show around the science of why music moves us. It blends live performance and storytelling with insights from neuroscience, psychology, and culture, and it grew out of an acclaimed PBS special released in 2025.
On stage, Gasser is backed by his band, The Mighty Mighty, with guest vocalists and musicians tailored to each city. The audience doesn't just watch, either: the free Why You Like It companion app feeds interactive prompts throughout the show, and everyone walks away with a personalized playlist at the end. It's as much a live experiment as it is a concert.
The Houston stop is part of Miller's free public season in Hermann Park. The venue is in its second century and bills itself as the largest "always free" professional performing arts program of its kind in the country, with a repertoire that runs from African dancing to accordion music, jazz, ballet, Shakespeare, and classic film. Past guest collaborators have included Grammy winners like Ledisi, AymƩe Nuviola, Etienne Charles, and Malika Tirolien.
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Why You Like It runs for 2 hours and 15 minutes, starting at 7:30 PM. Admission is free, with up to four tickets per person over age 16.
